This invention relates generally to automatic guided vehicles (AGV) for carrying loads along a predetermined travel path. More particularly, it relates to a draw bar clamp locking mechanism of a unique construction which is used on an AGV system to facilitate the locking and unlocking of a trolley to an AGV.
In recent years, there has been a trend toward unmanned or automatically operated transport vehicles. One example of the automatic transport vehicles is referred to as an automatic guided vehicle (AGV). As is generally well-known in the art, the automatic guided vehicles (AGV) are load carrying vehicles which travel automatically along a track of reflective tape and are guided by laser beam signals that are reflected off the track. These AGV travel from a base station (e.g., a storage area) to various loading stations along the track. In trailer-type AGV systems, the AGV are basically tractors whose rear end is coupled via a joint structure to the front end of trailers or trolleys loaded with material for pulling them to different destinations along the predetermined travel path.
Due to the prior art joint structure, there have been encountered difficulties in locking and unlocking of the trailer to the tractor in an easy and rapid manner. As a result, this leads to increased labor costs in performing the loading and unloading functions. Therefore, there has arisen a need for a draw bar clamp locking mechanism for facilitating the locking and unlocking of the trolleys to the AGV.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a draw bar clamp locking mechanism for facilitating locking and unlocking of a trolley to an AGV which has been traditionally unavailable.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a locking mechanism for coupling the front end of a trolley to the rear end of an AGV on an efficient and effective basis.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a draw bar clamp mechanism of a unique construction used on an AGV system so as to facilitate locking and unlocking of a trailer to an AGV.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a clamp locking mechanism which includes means for automatically locking a draw bar of a trolley when it is pushed into a locking bar thereof and means for unlocking and releasing the draw bar when a paddle is depressed downwardly.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a draw bar clamp locking mechanism for locking and unlocking rapidly a draw bar mounted on the front end of a trolley to the rear end of an automatic guided vehicle. The draw bar clamp locking mechanism includes a support member having a U-shaped slot defining a space for receiving the draw bar of the trolley. A locking bar device is disposed adjacent to the support member for moving rotatably between a locked position where the draw bar is received in the U-shaped slot of the support member and an unlocked position where the draw bar is disengaged from the U-shaped slot. A paddle is also arranged on the support member and includes means for releasably holding the locking bar device in the unlocked position and means for unlocking and releasing rapidly the draw bar from the U-shaped slot when depressed downwardly.